Direct Object

Most sentences that contain action verbs also feature objects of the verbs. These objects give us more information about the action by providing specific details about it, such as by telling who or what received the action or to whom or what (or for whom or what) the action was performed. In this way, objects are either direct or indirect, depending on the role they play in a sentence.

What Is a Direct Object?

Unlike a subject, which performs the action in a sentence, a direct object is the receiver of an action, telling who or what received it. Direct objects are always either nouns or pronouns. (Note that nouns and pronouns appearing within a prepositional phrase are objects of the preposition, not the verb, and are not direct objects.)

The best way to determine the direct object of a sentence is to ask yourself a question about the sentence’s action by using the words what or whom.

Direct Object Examples:

Nouns as Direct Objects

(Vanessa rode what? She rode her bike. Bike is the direct object in the sentence.)

The pilot flew the plane across the Atlantic Ocean. (The pilot flew what? The pilot flew the plane. Plane is the direct object in the sentence.)

Carmen rocked her baby to sleep. (Carmen rocked whom? She rocked her baby. Baby is the direct object in the sentence.)

(I returned what? I returned books. Books is the direct object in the sentence.)

Pronouns as Direct Objects

I took her with me to the store. (I took whom? I took her. Her is the direct object in the sentence.)

Shaun called us from camp. (Shaun called whom? He called us. Us is the direct object in the sentence.)

Kathy invited them to the birthday party. (Kathy invited whom? She invited them. Them is the direct object in the sentence.)

Dylan took his backpack and lunch out to the car. (Dylan took what? He took his backpack and lunch. Backpack and lunch are the direct objects in the sentence.)

The coach carried the bats and balls to the field. (The coach carried what? The coach carried bats and balls. Bats and balls are the direct objects in the sentence.)

Rosa walked him and me to the park. (Rosa walked whom? She walked him and me. Him and me are the direct objects in the sentence.)

Mom drove my brother and me to the movies. (Mom drove whom? She drove my brother and me. Brother and me are the direct objects in the sentence.)

As you can see, direct objects clarify information in a sentence by telling exactly who or what is receiving the action. Without direct objects, we’d be left without valuable information.

Direct Objects Versus Indirect Objects
Rather than telling who or what received the action in a sentence, as direct objects do, indirect objects tell to whom or what (or for whom or what) the action was performed.